Tool and utensil stowage system

ABSTRACT

Provided herein is a device useful for stowage and retrieval of various wares and utensils. A device according to the invention is especially well-suited for use within a cabinet, such as within a kitchen environment. The invention provides a slidable platform upon the top surface of which a plurality of retaining means may be readily disposed, to create spaces within which a utensil may be rigidly located. The slidable platform may be pulled out to gain access to the wares stored on the platform. A device according to the invention makes efficient use of cabinet space with respect to prior art stowage means, and provides for the wares to be disposed in such fashion that their retrieval is convenient and prompt.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/794,387 filed Apr. 24, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereinincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to storage means for utensils. Moreparticularly, it relates to systems and devices used in the storage oftools, utensils, and wares used in a household or kitchen setting,including pots, pans, and other implements.

BACKGROUND

Various storage means for conveniently storing a variety of implements,utensils, and wares have been contrived over the years. The products ofthe labors of a few workers in the prior art are embodied in severalU.S. Patent documents, now cited, which are fully incorporated herein byreference thereto.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,984 provides a modular preassembled article storageand transport conveyor apparatus which comprises: a) a substantiallyrigid unitized support housing having at least one access opening in aside thereof, b) a pair of endless conveyor chains forming arcuatecurved portions at opposite ends in offset relationship and disposed inlaterally spaced parallel planes, wherein each chain has multiplearticulated links, plural spaced article storage and transport trayssuspended at diagonally opposite corners in level relationship from thechains. The trays are adapted to pass in succession adjacent to the atleast one access opening of the housing, fixed guide track means for thechains on the housing and defining continuous substantiallyuninterrupted guidance paths for the endless chains along their entiremovement paths. The fixed guide track means include arcuate support andguide portions for the arcuate curved portions of the chains. There is apower drive means for the chains on the housing including a pair ofsprocket gears respectively in operative engagement with the exteriorsof the pair of chains away from the arcuate support and guide portionsand at a fixed point on the arcuate curved portion of each chain thatface each other.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,326 describes a rack positionable in asubstantially-vertical orientation and in a substantially-horizontalorientation for storing and securely holding within the rack at anoptimum storage angle when the rack is positioned in either thesubstantially vertical orientation or the substantially horizontalorientation a plurality of cooking container lids. The rack includes: a)support frame means for positioning the rack alternatively in thesubstantially vertical orientation or in the substantially horizontalorientation; and b) a plurality of adjustable lid-holding module meansremovably fitted into the support frame means for receiving theplurality of lids. Each of the module means is adjustable to supporteach of the lids substantially within the support frame means at theoptimum storage angle in spaced, non-interfering parallel relationshipwith adjacent lids when the rack is in the substantially vertical and inthe substantially horizontal orientation.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,352 provides a portable rack for holding pots, pans,cookie sheets and lids for the pots and pans which comprises: a) twopair of main frame leg members with each pair of leg members slopinginwardly toward each other, and wherein the leg members have flatoutside and inside attaching surfaces; b) caster wheel members securedto the bottom of each leg member, c) peg board members secured to anoutside attaching surface of each pair of inwardly sloping leg members;d) a top closure member positioned at the top of the pairs of inwardlysloping leg members; e) peripherally extending support members forsupporting the top closure member; f) a plurality of inner shelf membersextending between the pairs of inwardly sloping leg members; and g) ameans for defining a retaining slot for cookie sheets and lids for thepots and pans located between the sloping leg members. The means fordefining the retaining slot includes a portion of an inside surface ofone of the peg board members, a portion of one of the shelf members andan additional retaining strip secured to an inside attaching surface ofeach of a pair of the leg members at a location spaced from the one ofthe shelf members.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,374 teaches a sliding tray assembly for mounting ina kitchen cabinet or the like. The edges of the tray panel are receivedin guide channels, and a drawbar is attached to the cabinet door toautomatically slide the tray in and out. The forward end of the panel isradiused off at one corner to clear the inside of the door, and thebracket for mounting the rearward end of the drawbar to the panel isconfigured to allow the panel to be inverted for left- or right-handinstallations. The bracket also provides a backstop for retainingarticles on the tray panel.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,262 discloses a holder for storing and dispensingvarious sizes of bakeware. The holder includes a rear wall joined atopposite edges by forwardly projecting side walls. The side walls extendparallel to one another and each have perpendicular securing tabs attheir bottom edge. The securing tabs are to be mounted to a flatsurface, such as a kitchen shelf or cabinet, so that the bakeware may besupported in a vertical arrangement by the holder side walls with oneedge of the bakeware resting on the flat surface.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,700 sets forth a support rack for holding gourmetpots and pans which comprises: a) a circular support base; b) aplurality of lower, inwardly curved supporting legs extending from thecircular support to a plurality of outwardly curved upper supportingarms in which the arms extend to an upper circular frame member; c) aplurality of hook means extending from the upper circular frame memberfor supporting a plurality of gourmet pots and pans; d) a median sectionbetween the lower legs and the upper arms having at least one supportring; e) at least one hook means extending from the median section forsupporting gourmet pots and pans. The supporting legs and arms provide ameans whereby a see-through display effect is created whereby all of thegourmet pots and pans are effectively shown. The median section is ofsmaller diameter than the supporting base to provide enhanced stabilityfor the overall unit. The upper circular frame member is of largerdiameter than the median section to allow the gourmet pots and pans tobe effectively displayed, wherein the components are comprised of metalor other long-life material.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,736 provides a cabinet storage device comprising: a)a base slidingly attached to a cabinet so that the base is movableoutwardly from a storage position to an extended position; b) a fronthaving an upper end and lower end, wherein the lower end is secured tothe base and extends upwardly therefrom to the upper end; c) a backhaving an upper end and a lower end, wherein the lower end is secured tothe base and extends upwardly therefrom to the upper end; d) one or moregenerally vertical panels connected to the front and the back, so thegenerally vertical panels move along with the base from the storageposition to the extended position and wherein each panel includes meansfor attaching items to the panel so easy access to the attaching meansis provided when the base is in an extended position. There is also atleast one support means to provide additional support for the base whenthe base is extended outwardly from the cabinet, wherein the supportmeans comprises a retractable arm having two ends, wherein one end ispivotally connected to the cabinet storage device so the arm extendsdownwardly from the base to the second end when the arm is in theextended position, wherein the arm pivots upwardly to a storage positionwhen the base is in the storage position.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,746 discloses a pot lid storage trough comprising:a) a bottom member having an elongated configuration with a surfacehaving two lengthwise parallel grooves therein, with the first end ofeach groove being open and the second end of each groove being closed,the bottom member also having a stop member formed beside the open endof each groove and a sloped face portion adjacent to each of thegrooves; b) a case member having an elongated configuration with twolengthwise parallel storing cavities, the case member having a bottomwall and opposite side walls; c) a first pair of parallel railsextending downwardly from the bottom wall of the case member andextending lengthwise along the case member, each rail having a keythereon; and d) a second pair of parallel rails extending outwardly fromone of the opposite side walls of the case member, and extendinglengthwise along the case member, each rail having a key thereon. Inuse, one pair of the first and second pairs of rails slidably engagesthe grooves in the bottom member to thereby slidably attach the casemember to the bottom member such that the case member may be supportedby the bottom wall having the first pair of rails, or by the side wallhaving the second pair of parallel rails.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,387 describes a utensil supporting apparatus withsound attenuating means, comprising: a) a base member having a surface,the base member mountable on a structure; b) a plurality of fastenersmounted on the base member, the fasteners for holding utensils in apendant mode; and c) a sound attenuating means depending from the basemember surface, the sound attenuating means positioned between each ofthe utensils.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,414 teaches a wall-mounted shelving systemcomprising: a) a plurality of elongated standards secured to a wall,wherein each the elongated standard has a vertical axis, wherein thestandards contain a plurality of slots; b) a plurality of shelf bracketsremovably connected with the standards via the slots; c) one or moreshelves with a plurality of ends, wherein the shelves are supported bythe shelf brackets; and d) a plurality of side panels, wherein each theside panel has a means for removable attachment of the side panel to theends of the shelves, so as to easily and removably enclose the shelvesat the ends.

Of the storage means of the prior art, none are without stronglimitations and drawbacks. This is especially true in the case of whenit is desired to store pots and pans. Typically, in the average domestickitchen, pots and pans are placed in a drawer or cabinet. Since pansfrequently have handles attached to them, the handles of several pansstored in the same space interfere with the efficiency of the storage ofall of the pans, severely restricting the number of pans which may bestored in a given drawer or cabinet. U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,751 provided astorage shelf upon which various wares which may be commonly stowedduring times of their non-use, including kitchen utensils such as pots,pans, and other wares having handles intended to be grasped by theiruser, comprising a sliding storage assembly which stores such wares withtheir handles in a stowed position, until the storage shelf of theinvention is moved laterally, such as pulling towards the user, at whichtime the handles of the wares are automatically caused to be tiltedupwards towards the user for ready grasping and added convenience.However, the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,751 contained many movingparts, which adds to the cost of manufacturing the devices describedtherein. What is needed is a more simplistic (and lower cost) method ofaccomplishing the desired result of efficient use of space in storage ofkitchen utensils and other wares. Of all the devices in the prior art,none comprises a slidable platform which enables the compact storage ofbulky utensils that comprise a handle means as a portion of theirconstruction, while simultaneously providing easy access in retrieval ofsuch utensils when desired. The present invention provides such astorage means, and is of simplistic construction and high utility anduser-friendliness, as this specification now demonstrates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device useful for the convenientstorage and retrieval of various wares and utensils. A device of theinvention comprises a substantially-planar slidable support portionhaving a top surface, a front edge portion and a rear edge portion, withthe top surface further including a plurality of holes disposedtherethrough. There is also a frame means or portion, and a means forslidably connecting the slidable support portion to the frame means,sufficient to enable lateral movement of the support portion withrespect to the frame means. There is also a plurality of securingdevices attached to the top surface of the slidable portion. Thesecuring devices each comprise a retaining means portion and ananchoring means portion, wherein the anchoring means portions areadapted to be received by the holes disposed on the support portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of a planar slidable support portionaccording to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of a planar slidable support portionaccording to an alternate embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a planar slidable support portionhaving an attached means for slidably connecting said slidable supportto a frame, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a frame means having an attached means for slidablyconnecting said slidable support to said frame, according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a planar slidable support portion in one of its possiblepositions when attached to a frame means according to one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 5 a shows a configuration of a securing device according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 b shows a configuration of a securing device according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 c shows a configuration of a securing device according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a planar slidable support portion in one of its possiblepositions when attached to a frame means according to one embodiment ofthe invention, and further including a plurality of securing devicesattached to the slidable support portion;

FIG. 7 shows the use of a planar slidable support portion according toone embodiment of the invention, for securing a kitchen implement;

FIG. 8 shows a device according to one embodiment of the inventionmounted in a cabinet beneath a kitchen countertop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1A there is shown aperspective view of a slidable support portion 3 according to oneembodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the slidable supportportion 3 is comprised of a piece of stock which exists substantially inthe form of a rectangular solid, and has a plurality of holes 5 disposedthrough its top surface portion T. The holes 5 may terminate at somepoint within the body of the stock of the support portion 3; however, itis preferred that the holes 5 extend all the way through the bottom ofthe support portion 3. The slidable support portion 3 has a frontportion near the label F and a rear portion disposed towards the labelR. Although the holes 5 are shown in this FIG. 1A as uniformly coveringthe top surface portion T of the support portion 3 in a rectangulararray, it is within the scope of the present invention to employ anyother geometric patterns of holes on the top surface of the supportportion, and the geometric arrangement of the holes 5 can be anyarrangement known by those skilled in the art. Additionally, any numberof holes 5 may be present. For example, as few as two such holes may beused and as many as up to about 1000 or more holes may be used. Inaddition, although it is preferable, the top surface of the supportportion need not be absolutely planar, but can include any degree ofcurvature on its topography, as viewed from a side perspective, andportions of its surface may not need to have any holes 5 on themwhatsoever. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1B, the holes 5 need notnecessarily be circular, as viewed from above, but may also berectangular, or may have essentially any other contour, provided thatthe anchoring means 217 (FIGS. 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, etc.) are contoured to becomplementary to such holes 5 such that they are selectively engageablewith the holes 5, as hereinafter described. Again, such holes 5 mayextend partially or completely through the support portion 3. Contoursfor the holes 5 and anchoring means 217 include, without limitation,circular, oval, rectangular, trigonal, pentagonal, hexagonal,star-shaped, etc.

In FIG. 2 there is shown a perspective view of a planar slidable supportportion having an attached means for slidably connecting it to a frame,according to one embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, thisprovision includes the track means 7 a and 7 b, which are attached tothe left and right sides of the slidable support portion 3 from whichthe slidable support is comprised. The track means in one embodiment mayinclude lip(s) made of metal, plastics, etc., having a lower surface,which lip(s) extend(s) substantially along the length of the side(s) ofthe slidable support portion 3. Such a feature is known among thoseskilled in the art of providing sliding drawers, as many drawers aremade to be slidably disposed within a frame in which they reside bymeans of lip(s) extending substantially along the lengths of theiredges, wherein the lip(s) include a lower surface that rides oncomplementary rollers which are attached to the inside of the drawermount or frame and are adapted to receive such lip(s) and provide themwith lateral motion ability.

FIG. 3 shows a frame means having an attached means for receiving andslidably connecting the slidable support portion 3 shown in FIG. 2 tothis frame, according to one embodiment of the invention. This framemeans in this embodiment collectively comprises a left frame member 11,a rear frame member 13, and a right frame member 15. These frame membersare connectively attached to one another using conventional means suchas nails, screws, adhesives, welds, etc., to provide the arrangementshown, which is sufficient to provide an adequate location to mount thetrack-receiving means 17 a and 17 b. Although not visible from thisperspective, track-receiving means 17 b is a substantial mirror image ofthat of 17 a with regards to its features. The track-receiving meansinclude rollers 19, which are positioned on both track-receiving means17 a and 17 b. The frame means is preferably dimensioned so that thedistance between the rollers 19 on the track-receiving means 17 a and 17b coincides substantially with the distance between the lower surfacesof the track means 7 a and 7 b (FIG. 2) that reside upon the rollers 19,to enable the track means 7 a and 7 b to ride on the rollers 19 disposedon the track-receiving means 17 a and 17 b, which enables the slidablesupport portion to move laterally with respect to the frame means, in adirection shown by the arrow in FIG. 4.

The frame means may optionally include a floor portion 9, which canserve as a base to which frame members 11, 13, and 15 are connectivelyattached, by conventional means, to provide robust stability to theframe means as a whole. The track-receiving means 17 a and 17 b may beattached to the frame members 11 and 15, respectively, usingconventional fastening means known to those skilled in the art. Theindividual frame members 11, 13, 15 may be connected to one another asshown using these same or other fastening means.

FIG. 4 shows a planar slidable support portion in one of its possiblepositions when attached to a frame means according to one embodiment ofthe invention. The arrow depicts the possible direction of lateralmovement of the slidable support portion 3 with respect to the framemeans to which it is attached, via its track means 7 a and 7 b (FIG. 2)being in slidable contact with the track-receiving means 17 a and 17 b(FIG. 3).

In FIGS. 5 a, 5 b, and 5 c there are shown various configurations ofsecuring devices according to different embodiments of the invention.These securing devices each comprise a retaining means 190 and ananchoring means 217. The anchoring means 217 are preferably comprised ofa soft material, such as a plastic, cork, rubber, wood, etc., but mayalso be comprised of rigid materials, such as a metal, metallic alloy,or composites. The anchoring means are preferably contoured so that theyfit within the holes 5 disposed on the top surface of the slidablesupport portion 3. This enables the securing devices each as a whole tobe readily affixed to the top surface T of the slidable support portion3, as shown in FIG. 6, by placing or lodging the anchoring means 217into the holes 5. Thus, it is preferred that the distance between thetwo anchoring means 217 corresponds substantially to the distancebetween a pair of holes 5 disposed on the top surface of the slidablesupport portion 3. The retaining means 190 are preferably comprised of arigid material, such as a hard polymer, metal, or metal alloy. In onepreferred embodiment the retaining means 190 are comprised of heavywire, having any cross-sectional diameter in the range of between about1 millimeter or less to about 25 millimeters or more, with a diameter ofabout 6-12 mm being especially preferred. In one embodiment the wire isrigid and non-bendable. In another embodiment, the wire is flexible,which permits the user to bend the retaining means 190 into any shape asthe user deems fit. Thus, the shape of the retaining means 190 may beany shape, form, or contour desired by the user, and may comprise anybend or configuration desired.

In FIG. 6 is shown a planar slidable support portion 3 in one of itspossible positions when attached to a frame means according to oneembodiment of the invention, further including a plurality of retainingmeans 190 (FIGS. 5 a, 5 b, 5 c) attached to the slidable support portion3. Also shown are the respective locations of the floor portion 9, theleft frame member 11, rear frame member 13, right frame member 15,slidable support portion 3, and a plurality of retaining means 190 heldin place by the anchoring means 217 (FIG. 5) which anchoring means 217are disposed within the various holes 5 on the slidable support portion3. By judicious selection of the positions at which the retaining means190 are disposed, it is possible to create and define spaces S betweenthe retaining means 190. These spaces S are suitable locations at whichappropriately contoured wares and utensils may be held in a retainedposition between the different retaining means 190, such as the pan 21shown in FIG. 7. This arrangement enables the handle portion of the pan23 to be disposed in an upward position, to make efficient storage useof the surface area of the slidable support portion 3 whilesimultaneously enabling ready grasping of the pan.

FIG. 8 shows a device according to one embodiment of the invention inits final in-use arrangement, mounted in a cabinet 69 beneath a kitchencountertop 29. In FIG. 8 are shown the respective locations of theelements of the floor portion 9, the left frame member 11, rear framemember 13, slidable support portion 3, track means 7 b, track-receivingmeans 17 a, a plurality of retaining means 190 held in place by theanchoring means 217 disposed in various holes 5 (and hence not clearlyvisible) on the slidable support portion 3, and rollers 19. Forconvenience, there is a frontal lip or flange 25 attached to the frontportion of the slidable support portion 3 by conventional means. In apreferred embodiment, there is a handle means 27 attached to thisflange, which allows a user to pull the slidable support portion 3 outof the cabinet, to gain easy access to the wares and utensils disposedon the slidable support portion 3, which are held rigidly in place bythe plurality of retaining means 190. The flange 25 may be a sheet ofmaterial such as plywood, polypropylene, a metallic alloy, etc. which isconventionally fastened to the front portion of the slidable supportportion 3.

For easy stowage, the handle 27 is grasped and pushed, so that theslidable support portion 3 is pushed back into the cabinet, and thecabinet door 31 may be swung shut. In an alternate embodiment, no floorportion 9 is used as a member of the frame; rather, the bottom of thecabinet serves as the floor portion, and the track receiving means 17 aand 17 b are themselves attached directly to the right and left walls ofan existing cabinet 69.

Consideration must be given to the fact that although this invention hasbeen described and disclosed in relation to certain preferredembodiments, obvious equivalent modifications and alterations thereofwill become apparent to one of ordinary skill in this art upon readingand understanding this specification and the claims appended hereto.This includes subject matter defined by any combination of any one ofthe various claims appended hereto with any one or more of the remainingclaims, including the incorporation of the features and/or limitationsof any dependent claim, singly or in combination with features and/orlimitations of any one or more of the other dependent claims, withfeatures and/or limitations of any one or more of the independentclaims, with the remaining dependent claims in their original text beingread and applied to any independent claims so modified. This alsoincludes combination of the features and/or limitations of one or moreof the independent claims with features and/or limitations of anotherindependent claims to arrive at a modified independent claim, with theremaining dependent claims in their original text being read and appliedto any independent claim so modified. Accordingly, the presentlydisclosed invention is intended to cover all such modifications andalterations, and is limited only by the scope of the claims whichfollow.

1) A device useful for the convenient storage and retrieval of variouswares and utensils, which comprises: a) a slidable support portionhaving a top surface, a front edge portion and a rear edge portion, saidtop surface further including a plurality of holes disposedtherethrough; b) a frame portion; c) means for slidably connecting saidsupport portion to said frame portion sufficiently to enable lateralmovement of said support portion with respect to said frame means; andd) a plurality of securing devices attached to the top surface of saidslidable support portion, said securing devices each comprising aretaining means portion and an anchoring means portion, wherein saidanchoring means portions are adapted to be received by said holesdisposed on said support portion. 2) A device according to claim 1wherein said retaining means portion is flexible. 3) A device accordingto claim 1 wherein said retaining means portion is rigid. 4) A deviceaccording to claim wherein said plurality of holes are arranged tocomprise a rectangular pattern. 5) A device according to claim 1 whereinsaid holes are circular. 6) A device according to claim 1 wherein saidholes are rectangular. 7) A device according to claim 1, and furthercomprising: e) a cabinet having an interior, wherein said frame portionis disposed within the interior of said cabinet. 8) A device accordingto claim 1 wherein the frame means includes a floor portion. 9) A deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the top surface of the slidable supportportion is substantially-planar. 10) A device according to claim 1further comprising: e) a handle means attached to said slidable supportportion, sufficient to enable a user to cause said support portion tomove laterally upon pulling or pushing said handle means. 11) A deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein two of said plurality of securing devicesattached to the top surface of said slidable support portion arearranged so as to define a space between them, which space is sufficientto contain and sustain a cooking utensil in a fixed position. 12) Adevice according to claim 1 wherein two of said plurality of securingdevices attached to the top surface of said slidable support portion arearranged so as to define a space between them, which space is sufficientto contain and sustain a cooking utensil in a fixed position, saidcooking utensil comprising a handle portion, said handle portion beingdisposed in any orientation.